Researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison have come up with the first printed version of 3D functional human brain tissue. This pioneering discovery will have a big impact on how scientists study the brain. The group believes it may help create potential remedies for neurological diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.
The study of human brain cells and their connections might be completely transformed over the printed 3D functional human brain tissue. A recent study published in the journal Cell Stem Cell. Scientists have come up with horizontal layers of brain cells covered in soft bio-ink gel by altering the traditional 3D printing procedure.
Method In Use
Zhang, a neuroscience professor at UW Madison, and his associates printed the 3D functional human brain tissue using a commercially accessible bioprinter, which could allow other organizations to do the same. The group is also investigating methods for printing human cells at certain orientations, which may provide them with even more versatility in the kinds of brain tissue they can produce.
The novel printing process does not require specialized bio-printing equipment or culture procedures to maintain tissue integrity. The output can be thoroughly examined using ordinary visualization tools, microscopes, and electrodes that are currently widely used in the field. By enhancing their bio-ink and equipment, the researchers want to enable certain cell orientations within their printed tissue. They want to research the possibilities of specialization.
A Detailed Overview – 3D Functional Human Brain Tissue
The tissue had enough structure to keep everything together. Its flexibility allowed the neurons to grow into one another and be extra communicative. That’s how the printed cells created networks akin to those in the human brain. By reaching through the medium, they formed connections both inside and across printed layers. Each of these neurons was derived from pluripotent stem cells. They had adequate access to growth media’s nutrients and oxygen because of this configuration.
In the trials, the cells began to form networks resembling those of a human brain. They were even able to interact with one another over neurotransmitters. The scientists aim to investigate communication between cells in Alzheimer’s disease-damaged tissue and assess new pharmaceutical possibilities.
The accuracy and command over the cells absent from brain organoids are made possible by the 3D functional human brain tissue. The organoids develop with less oversight and order. The new printing technique offers flexibility for studying Down syndrome cell signaling, testing novel drug candidates, and observing brain growth.
This might be a very potent three dimension functional human brain tissue model. It may transform our understanding of stem cell biology, neurology, and several neurological and psychiatric conditions. Thus elucidating how the neurons and sections of the human brain communicate.
